Circular knitting machine

ABSTRACT

A CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE HAVING A PLURALITY OF YARN GUIDES AT EACH FEED, SAID MACHINE BEING CHARACTERIZED BY THE USE OF A SINGLE CONTROL MECHANISM FOR SELECTIVELY OPERATING THE YARN GUIDES OF TWO ADJACENT FEEDS WHEREBY THE NUMBER OF FEED IS DOUBLE THE NUMBER OF CONTROL MECHANISMS. THIS MAKES IT POSSIBLE TO EMPLOY TWELVE FEEDS ON A 4&#34; NEEDLE CYLINDER WHICH IS BARELY ABLE TO ACCOMMODATE EIGHT FEEDS TO THE CONVENTIONAL CONSTRUCTION WHEREIN THE YARN GUIDES AT EACH FEED ARE OPERATED BY A SEPARATE CONTROL MECHANISM CORRESPONDING TO SAID FEED. THE MACHINE ALSO INCLUDES MEANS FOR SIMULTANEOUSLY RAISING ALL OF THE YARN GUIDES AND THEIR CONTROLLING MECHANISM FROM THEIR LOWER, OPERATING, TO AN UPPER INOPERATIVE POSITION.

5 Shats-Shoet 1 Filed Sept. 18, 1968 NECHO Kmma'u mu ATTORNEYS Jan.19,'1 97 1 6.5M. 3,555,855

' CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE Filed Sept. 18,1968 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 w HT-ro 3 Ni 75 G. BILL] CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE Jan. 19, 1971 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Sept. 18', 1968 NECHO KIMME LMRN ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,555,855 CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE Giorgio Billi, Florence, Italy, assignor to G. Billi & C. S.p.A., Florence, Italy, an Italian corporate body Filed Sept. 18, 1968, Ser. No. 760,542 Int. Cl. D04b /58 US. Cl. 66--138 7 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A circular knitting machine having a plurality of yarn guides at each feed, said machine being characterized by the use of a single control mechanism for selectively op erating the yarn guides of two adjacent feeds whereby the number of feeds is double the number of control mechanisms. This makes it possible to employ twelve feeds on a 4" needle cylinder which is barely able to accommodate eight feeds of the conventional construction wherein the yarn guides at each feed are operated by a separate control mechanism corresponding to said feed.

The machine also includes means for simultaneously raising all of the yarn guides and their controlling mechanism from their lower, operating, to an upper inoperative position.

THE BACKGROUND It is known that the greater the number of feeds, that is, the stations at which stitches can be formed, the greater the production of the machine. This accounts for the progressive departure from single, to as many as eight feeds. But, apparently, the small area of a 4" needle cylinder has blocked all efforts further to increase the number of feeds. Examination of the circumstances showed that the difficulty resided not in the lack of space for establishing knitting stations but in the impossibility of placing a larger number of sets of yarn guides, each having its own, individual control mechanism. This, then, is the problem which faced the entire industry.

THE INVENTION The main object of the invention is to make it possible to use as many as twelve feeds, each having at least two yarn guides, on a conventional 4 needle cylinder.

Another object is to provide a mechanism which is simple, inexpensive and fool-proof, and one which can be incorporated in knitting machines of new manufacture, or which can be added to existing machines. To all intents and purposes, the invention is equally applicable to the circular knitting machines made by Scott and Williams, and by G. Billi & C. S.p.A. of Florence, Italy.

Briefly, the invention resides in selectively raising or allowing to fall one yarn guide of each of two sets of yarn guides, one set to each of two adjacent feeds, the yarn guides of each pair of adjacent feeds being operated by a single control mechanism.

A preferred manner of carrying out the invention has been shown in the drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic and fragmentary view, partly in section and partly in elevation, of a conventional cylindrical, seamless knitting machine embodying my invention, the view being taken on line I-I on FIG. 6. In this view, the yarn guides control mechanism, as a whole, is shown in the operating position.

F162 is similar to FIG. 1 but shows the yarn guide control mechanism raised out of its operating position.

FIG. 3 is a fragmental sectional view looking in the direction of line IIIII[ on FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged, fragmentary top plan view showing details of construction.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary view, partly in section and partly in elevation, looking in the direction of line VV on FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a top plan view diagrammatically showing the manner in which a conventional for instance 4" needle cylinder is provided with twelve feeds, or stitch forming stations, which are controlled by six yarn guide operating mechanisms.

Since the knitting machine is wholly conventional, only the needle cylinder 1 and the sinker ring 2 are fragmentarily and schematically shown. For other details of construction, reference may be had to the Scott and Williams machines above mentioned.

To support the mechanism of my invention, I provide a ring 3, or the like, which is rigidly secured in a position to encompass the needle cylinder. FIGS. 1 and 4. Ring 3 carries six yarn guides supporting members 5, which are distributed about the needle cylinder 1. Members 5 may be in the nature of elongated, open-ended boxes or troughs, and are adapted to receive two sets of yarn guides 6 and 6A. FIG. 6. Since all the supports and their structure and operation, and their relation to the needle cylinder are identical, it is thought a description of one of these, such as the only unit shown in full in FIG. 4, will sufiice.

As can be seen from FIG. 4, at the inner end of trough 5, that is, at the end thereof adjacent the needle cylinder, a block 7 is provided for to form channel 7A for accommodating a yarn guide set 6 and a channel 7B for accommodating a yarn guide set 6A. It will be noted that there are at least two yarn guides in each channel and that the yarn guides 6 in channel 7A serve yarn feed M on the needle cylinder while the yarn guides 6A in channel 7B serve yarn feed N and this repeats for each of members 5. An important feature of this invention is the fact that the yarn guides 6 in channel 7A are rectilinear, or straight along their entire lengths, and that yarn guides 6A in channel 7B are rectilinear along their inner and outer portions and are bent as at 6C. It is this arrangement which causes the inner ends of guides 6 to serve one yarn feed (such as feed M), and causes the inner ends of guides 6A to serve an adjacent feed (such as feed N), the feeds being separated by the width of the portion 7. This is clearly shown in FIG. 6, from which it will also be seen that all of the guides 6 and 6A are mounted on a common bolt, or the like, 5A, which passes through the vertical walls 5B of box or trough 5. Each of yarn guides 6 and 6A is tensioned by a spring 10 in a clockwise direction, as viewed in FIG. 1 to bring the yarn-carrying end 6X thereof to the lower yarn feeding position relative to the needle 1N of the cylinder 1. Each yarn guide 6 and 6A is provided with a finger or feeler 6B which, under the influence of spring 10, is in constant yielding engagement with the corresponding row of projections SA on actuating Wheel 8. FIG. 1. It will be noted from FIGS. 4 and 6 that wheel 8 according to the embodiment has five rows of projections, one for each of yarn guides 6 and 6A. It will be understood that, when feeler 6B engages a depression on wheel 8 intermediate adjacent projections 8A, the corresponding guide will be moved to the operative position of FIG. 1. Conversely, when feeler 6B rides on one of projections 8A, the corresponding yarn guide is rotated in counter-clockwise direction to raise its yarn-carrying end 6X and take the yarn out of the reach of needle 1N. The operating position of each yarn guide is accurately adjusted by means of set secrews 11.

Wheel 8 is rotated by means of a flexible control 9 in response to cams on the conventional main cam drum. Since the specific means for rotating wheel 8 is not claimed, and since many ways of effecting controlled rotation are well-known to those skilled in the art, it is thought unnecessary to disclose the same in detail.

It will be seen from the foregoing that by providing two sets of yarn guides, one for each of two adjacent feeds M, N, and by operating the two sets of guides from single wheel 8, I have succeeded in using twelve feeds on a 4" needle cylinder which, without my invention, can only accommodate a maximum of eight feeds. It will also be noted that the entire invention is made possible by using a set of rectilinear yarn guides in conjunction with a set of yarn guides which are bent intermediate their ends to space their inner ends by block 7 the width of which is a function of the space between adjacent feeds. Furthermore, by invention also saves the encumbrance and the cost of six control mechanisms which would have to be used where each set of guides is operated by its own control mechanism.

In addition to the foregoing, I have provided means for simultaneously raising all twelve sets of yarn and their six operating control mechanisms from the operative position of FIG. 1 to the inoperative position of FIG. 2.

This mechanism includes supports 13 to each of which a box or trough is secured as at 12. Below ring 3, I provide blocks 14 which form seats for a ring 16 which has limited rotation relative to ring 3 and seats 14. Ring 1'6 is provided with spaced recesses 17 each of which is defined by one vertical wall and one inclined wall 17A. FIGS. 3, 4. To ring 1 6 is secured, as by clamps 20, a lever 18 which has operating knob 18A. 22 designates a pin which passes through ring 3 for engagement with recess 17 in ring 16. Six pins 22 and six recesses 17 are provided to cooperate with each of members 5. The upper end of each pin 22 underlies the inner end of the relative support 5. When it is desired to raise all of the yarn guides from the position of FIG. 1 to the position of FIG. 2, ring 16 is rotated by lever 18 so as to cause the lower ends of pins 22 to ride on the inclined surfaces 17A and on to the adjacent surface of ring 16. This raises pins 22 and elevates supports 5. Reverse movement brings the pin supports back to the lower position of FIG. 1. A more detailed description of the device is not necessary because a similar device as to the parts not particularly described is already contained in U.S. Pat. No. 3,296,836.

This application is filed with claim of priority as of the date of an application for patent Ser. No. 4,173 filed in Italy on Sept. 26, 1967.

What I claim is:

1. A circular knitting machine having a needle cylinder a circle of needles in said cylinder, a plurality of side by side knitting stations angularly disposed about said cylinder, pivotally mounted yarn guides also angularly disposed about said cylinder and positioned at each of said knitting stations to feed yarns thereat to said circle of needles, and a common support for those of said yarn guides which are disposed at an adjacent pair of said knitting stations, said support providing a common axis about which said last named yarn guides are pivotally movable. i

2. A knitting machine as in claim 1 wherein a plurality of said yarn guides are provided at each of said knitting stations.

3. A knitting machine as in claim 2 wherein there is a plurality of said adjacent pairs of said knitting stations and wherein a common suport is provided for each of said pairs thereof, said common supports also being angularly disposed about said cylinder.

4. A knitting machine as in claim 3 wherein the angular spacing between each of said common supports and said yarn guides supported thereon is substantially twice the angular distance between each of said knitting stations.

5. A knitting machine as in claim 2 wherein said yarn guides are mova'ble into and out of yarn feeding position, wherein said machine is provided with indexable rotary drum means to control the said feeding movement of said yarn guides, and wherein said machine is provided with a support for the rotary drum means which control the said yarn guides disposed at said adjacent pair of said knitting stations, said support providing an axis about which said last named drum means rotates and wherein said axis is parallel to said common axis.

6. A knitting machine as in claim 5 wherein a single drum is provided to control the said yarn guides disposed at said adjacent pair of said knitting stations.

7. A knitting machine as in claim 5 wherein said support for said yarn guides and said support for said rotary drum means are provided in a common housing.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,377,489 6/1945 Getaz 66-133X 3,101,601 8/l96-3 Tengoni 66-138 3,122,008 2/ 1964- Hanel et al. 66-l38X 3,222,892 12/ 196-5 Moyer 66145X 3,296,636 1/1967 Billi 66-138 3,3 89,581 6/ 196 8 Sterner 66--133 RONALD FELDBAUM, Primary Examiner 

